.January 13, 2007
Almost all of my journal entries involve hiking, biking, or some other form of outdoor exercise, so most of my readers probably won't find this entry very interesting. This entry is intended more for those who I went to school with. This weekend I visited my sister Margie who lives in Pittsfield, MA. Just south of Pittsfield is the small town of Lenox whose only real claim to fame is nearby Tanglewood. I decided to make a detour to Lenox. I lived and went to school in this town for 11 years (grades 1-11). Having lived here from ages 5-16 almost all my childhood memories are from attending The Bible Speaks and Stevens Christian School. I lived just off campus, but I think I spent more time on campus than at home. I've been back several times since the school closed in 1987. Over the years I have heard some complain that their parents forced them to go to Christian school and are bitter. Their feelings may be justified. I don't know. All I can say is that for me, I am grateful and have so many happy memories of my time there. It has been 20 years, and I have decided to take some pictures of the campus.
If I remember right, the mansion on the top of the hill was Basset Hall. It is in great shape and is now Kemble Inn.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Schermerhorn was also in great shape. There were signs (empty paint cans and such) on the outside indicating that it was recently painted.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here's the view from the back. Who remembers sledding down this hill in the winter? I had several different routes I took when walking home from school. Sometimes I went up this hill. It's a good size hill, but it seemed a lot bigger when I was in 1st grade.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Although Schermerhorn was in great shape, it looks like it has been a while since the tennis courts at the bottom of the hill have been used.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next I went in the front entrance to the campus. Much of the campus is now owned by Shakespeare and Company. The library was still in use.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ St. Martins/Charis Hall looked in fair shape although it needs paint.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ St Martins/Charis Hall from the back.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The Barbara Stevens Life Chapel has gone through some changes over the years.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The snackbar. I spent my share of allowances playing Space Invaders and Pac Man here.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Looks like the building for the indoor swimming pool that was being built when we left was never completed.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The Pond
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The Maintenance Shop and the Sports Center
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The Maintenance Shop
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The front entrance to the Sports Center
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The building was open so I went in. The gymnasium part of the building is used as a place to build props for Shakespeare and Company. During the winter months, I spent years of recess and gym classes here.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ In the spring and fall, recess was held on this field.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The only sign I could find that this was once a playground was the giant rope that was tied to a branch and used as a swing. It is now grown over with bushes, but I was surprised the rope hasn't rotted out by now. I think the rope was put up when I was in 5th grade. I used to swing on it when I was 10 years old. That's almost 15 years ago!! Did I say 15? OK, ok, it was 26 years ago.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I couldn't even recognize this section of the campus. A house has been built where the girls' softball field was.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The boys' baseball field hasn't gone without change either. I found all these trees where there was once a field. These were fairly good size trees. This made me feel old.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Now for the school. I spent 11 years in these two buildings. The grammar school/junior high on the left and high school on the right.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Do you think it is time for a new roof?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I spent part of 1st grade (the classes were moved to different rooms a couple times that year) and all of 5th grade looking out that semi-circle window waiting for school to let out. Surprisingly, all the panes of glass looked intact.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here's a couple different angles of the school
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Oops, I got my car in this shot.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I know I wasn't supposed to, but I couldn't help but look for an unlocked door. I found one and peaked inside. The inside of the grammar school was in ruins. The roof obviously has been leaking for years. This is where I spent the first part of 1st grade and all of 3rd grade although it was in much better shape in the 70's. Mrs. Horne taught 3rd grade and had this room for years. I can almost see the cat clock on the wall with the wagging tail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
With the inside of the building completely destroyed, I found this mural in the hallway intact. I am reminded of Isaiah 40:8. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I hope you have enjoyed a trip down memory lane. I would love to hear from former schoolmates and teachers. If you find this webpage and would like to contact me, there is a link to my e-mail on the left of the page. God Bless!
2/6/2007
So many have asked what I've been up to since Lenox, so I added a short summary here.
'88 - Graduated from Greater Grace Christian Academy
'92 - Graduated from Maryland Bible College & Seminary
'93 - Married Lynn Garand
'94-'97 - Helped with Pastor Pat Sullivan with a
church in Mississippi.
'97-2000 - Back in Baltimore
2000 - Graduated from Essex Community College with
an Associates Degree in Computers
2000 - Moved to Norway, Maine
2000 to 2008 - Attended Grace Fellowship Church
2008 to 2010 - Grace Baptist Church
2010 to present - Norway Baptist Church
Lynn and I have no kids. I work at the hospital in Norway in
the computer department. As you can see from my website, much of my spare time is spent hiking.
| 
